Climate researchers warn in a new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature that rising sea levels could get much worse much faster than predicted. The melting of a massive Antarctic sheet of ice, coupled with ice melting in other regions, could cause sea levels to rise by as much as five or six feet by 2100. Previously, scientists had forecast that this was hundreds if not thousands of years away, and had projected the "worst-case scenario" to be half the rise in sea level now predicted.
Beyond 2100, scientists say things look even grimmer. Sea levels could begin rising by more than a foot per decade, and eventually drown out the world's coastlines, including major cities such as New York, Miami, New Orleans, London, Venice, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
"We are not saying this is definitely going to happen," said David Pollard, a co-author of the new research. "But I think we are pointing out that there's a danger, and it should receive a lot more attention."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Read the full story at The New York Times.
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelagoThe Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
AI: is the bubble about to burst?In the Spotlight Stock market ever-more reliant on tech stocks whose value relies on assumptions of continued growth and easy financing
-
Sudoku hard: October 19, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquakespeed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
